Fall of 2010

Well, here we are, looking at the changing colors of the leaves. It's been a good summer. Hot, but enjoyable.
Peanut and I, were busy for most of the weekends this summer. Parades, training, Foundation Quarter Horse Registry (FQHR) shows, Extreme Cowboy Races, to just having fun. At the FQHR shows, Peanut started to show his potiental. Our first show in May, he took a 5th place in Amature Cutting, 4th in Open Barrels, 6th in Amature Barrels, 2nd in Open Pole Bending, and a 4th in Amature Pole Bending. In June, Peanut came home with 6 in Amature Cutting, a 1st in Open Poles, and 2nd in Amature Poles. In July, We he brought home 6th in Amature Ranch Cutting, and a 1st in Amature Keyhole. We also attended our first Extreme Cowboy Race in Swartz Creek, MI. We had not attended any of the clinics prior to the race, to prepare for the race. After all was said and done, Peanut came home 5 overall in our division. We did not attend any races or show in August, due to the need to get all of our hay in. So that brought us to September. At FQHR, Peanut brought home a 6th in Amature Ranch Cutting, a 2ndin Open Barels, a 2nd in Amature Barrels, a 2nd in Open Poles, and a 1st in Amature Poles. Then the following weekend, we attended the last Extreme Cowboy Race in Swartz Creek. Peanut refused to enter the pond on the course, but had no issue with ponds off the course. He even tried to cut the ducks and geese that were swimming on the pond. Refused to load into the course horse trailer and had an issue with the jumps, but we came in dead last for our division.
After all was said and done, it is my plan, to go to the Extreme Cowboy Races next year and be able to place alot higher then we did this year. AFter we competed in the race, I took Peanut back out on the course and he then went right into the pond, not just once, but several times. Go figure. It must have been he was nervous.
We have a couple of trail rides lined up this fall, but the Winter is going to be a chance for us to improve on alot of things.

It's been a while

Well, 2009 has come and gone. 2010 is here and so far has been a great year. Spring has sprung and Summer is fast approaching. The last weekend April and the first part of May, Peanut and I attended the Westshore Mounted Police Academy, held right here in Benzie County. We were part of the 50 student class and what a huge class. Horses of every size, color and breed were there. From beginners to advanced riders. Lots of different disiplines too!

At this training, Peanut proved to me, just what a truely great little horse he is. From crowd control to standing while I shot a starting pistol while mounted on him. Peanut performed far better than I could ever imagine.

The end of January, I sent Peanut for some training with an awesome training in Swartz Creek, Michigan, and Peanut came back better than ever. I can not express how much I love this horse and what he means to me. Peanut is one of those horses that will be hard to sell, if I ever had to sell him. In my heart, there is not enough money in the World worth what Peanut means to me.

Where has the time gone.

Well, here we are at the beginning of August and the summer is seeming like a long spring and no summer. Not to many hot days to complain about, but then I prefer warmer that what we have had.

Peanut and I have now done three FQHR shows and have not really done to bad. He has helped me to learn that I am no longer 21 years of age, more than once. I still see him as a really good horse. He will always be my buddy, and anyone who has had a good friendship, knows that our friends don't always agree with us, when we want to do something and they don't.

At our first show in May, we managed to take last place in every class we did. I was a little bummed at first, but then had to keep reminding myself that it was our first show. I know look at it as being consistent in our placings. We did not DQ in one class and I also found that Peanut likes to do barrels. We took a 3rd out of 3.

At the second show, we DQ in ranch cutting, but that too is ok. We are both still learning how to play at this game. If I can recall, we took 8th out of 11 in one of our cattle classes and took a 3rd out of 4 in barrels. Peanut sure loves those barrels. I just need to find it in my heart, or should I say my stomach, to let him run full open on the way back to the finish line. I am still a little apprehensive about speed.

Now at the July show, Peanut was not feeling like Peanut at all. He had a little bit of an attitude towards the cows and that was NOT ok with me. He so wanted to beat the living tar out of them, and I would not let him, that he took it out on me. We took a deep cut into the herd and started to work the cow a little and we lost it back to the herd, on the second deep cut, Peanut wanted to show off his shiny shoes to the cows. I refused him to do so, asked him to move forward and well,

Peanut basically told me to buck off. He let me have 4 or 5 good bucks, enough to unseat me from the saddle and left me hanging there from the horn and a right spur caught under the saddle skirt. Thanks to one of my turn backs, Jeff Lebbins, who hollered "whoa, WHOA" at Peanut, I would have been on the ground and looking at the undersides of the cattle. Not a place I really wanted to be. But, I finished the class and moved on. On Sunday, came confirmation class. So far, we have not even come close to placing in this class, but, each and every time, I learn a little something new. The judge saw something in Peanut that the others had missed. I don't know what it was, but a 3rd place ribbon was good enough for us beginners. So far this has given us 3 pretty yellow 3rd place ribbons from 3 different shows. Again, consistency. As the day worn on, it began to rain and Peanut and I still had barrels to run. In the Open Barrels class, we took a 4th place and then in Armature Barrels we took a 2nd place. Now we have added a beautiful white 4th place ribbons and gorgeous Red 2nd place ribbon to the collection. I am looking forward to the August show and hopefully more ribbons to hang up for Peanut.

FQHR shows are not the only thing Peanut and I have been doing this Summer. Parades, Meet and Greets for the Mounted Unit, and other small events. Peanut, along with a couple of the Mounted Units horses, partook in the Lake Ann Homecoming Parade.

It's not a huge parade, but a fun, little hometown parade. Lots of people whom we know, and visitors to the area. I just love small town parades.

We left Lake Ann and rushed to Beulah to participate in the 4th of July parade there. Another small town parade with lots of spectators.

The next weekend, Peanut and I, joined the unit in Traverse City, MI for the Annual Cherry Royale Parade. This is a huge parade with visitors from all over the World. The U.S. Coast Guard flies their chopper down Front street, just above the tops of the buildings. I was so proud of Peanut for not spooking at that. He carried the Unit's flag with pride. Out in front, by himself, right down the middle of Front street. Later that same evening, we traveled to Bear Lake, MI and participated in the Bear Lake Days parade. Again, another small town, lots of people. Again, Peanut did me proud. He carried the Unit's colors and did it with great ease. He always seems to please me with something everytime I ride this great little horse.
After all is said and done, I still tell everyone, "I just love this little horse."

It's been awhile

Well, here we are in the beginning of Summer, and all is going well. Peanut and I have been doing trainings of many different avenues. From mounted stress training, evaluations, parade training, to training Peanut to work cattle. What an adventure we have had over the past few months.

Peanut and I traveled with our good friends, Janet and Rustin to work on some cattle. Rustin has a natural talent for working cows, but Peanut has to learn what to do with them. I was surprised that Peanut did not back away from them. He went right into the herd and followed my lead.

Mounted evaluations proved to me that Peanut was truly a good horse. We had a little difficulty with opening and closing the gate, but with a little more work, it will all come like second nature.

Then came some of the other obstacles.
Like the bag of cans drag. Peanut was rock solid. He stood there just perfect. Let me drag this

noisy bag of rattling cans at him and open a portable dumpster and drop the bag in.
We then moved on to the traffic barrels. Here I had to walk Peanut up to the barrels, grab one at a time, and stack them on top of one another.

Peanut was true performer at this. Not one issue at letting me lean way to one side, and pick up a heavy plastic barrel and carry it to the next one and stack it on top.

We then moved to the stack barrels. We have to knock the barrels done and then walk through them. This allows us to show our horses can manuver through tight areas and move obstacles with our horses, if the need should ever arise. Peanut not only knocked them down, but was impressive to watch Peanut step gingerly through very small tight areas with his legs and feet and not react. How can one not appriciate a horse, who is willing to give anything and everything to please the rider. Peanut and I may not aways see eye to eye. We may have our off days, but what friendship doesn't. He is truly my best friend in all aspects of the meaning.

Peanut can be a pistol

I have tried and tried to find a way to discrib my recent adventure on Peanut. Last weekend, the civilian mounted SAR unit, that I am a member of, did some stress obstacles. Peanut did every one of the obstacles without even having a second thought about they may just eat him alive. I just can not find one thing that sets him off. But, I know it's coming. I can feel it.
Well, Saturday, the day before Easter, I found it. We will call it, "working the gates".
Peanut does not like to work the gates. I can get him up to the gate, get it unlatched, and then try to open it. Yep, thats where Janet gets to laughing. I did not think I could get in such an ackward postion on a horse. Let me explain this in steps.
1. Peanut only wants to open the gate from his left side, facing the gate hinges, but refuses to move forward enough to pass his wonderful round rump past the post.
2. I lean over, unlatch the gate, and start to move it towards us.
Now, remeber, I can not let go of the gate, or I am disqualified.
3. Peanut then trys to face the gate, while I am still trying to hang on to it. Needless to say, I am having to stand up in my stirrups and lean as far forward over Peanut's neck and head, and not let go.
4. Peanut does not like to follow the ques from the position I am in now.
Now comes Janet's laughter as she is seeing my tuccus raised way up in the air, actually higher than my head is. Not a pretty site in my mind.
5. I am still trying to get Peanut in position to get through the gate and close it from the other side. Of course now Peanut decideds to back up away from the gate and as it come at him, he moves even faster backwards and I am still hanging on to the top rail.
Nope, not a pretty site.
6. I finally give up and let go. How many times can a team get DQ'd on one obstacle. Well, if it's Peanut and me, a lot.

I never laughed so hard at myself, as I did yesturday. I just know now, what I have to really really work on. I am thinking longer arms are in store for me.
Next weekend is CATTLE. WHEEEEE Haaaaaaa!

Peanut's Pasture Mate, Ike

Up north, here in Northern Lower Michigan, we tend to get a little slap happy from a long, long, long winter. We see glimmers of hope that Spring is not that far away. A couple of days in the 40's and low 50's, some rain, and then BAM, Mother Nature takes you back to the full force of Winter. But, we still manage to laugh.
On Sunday, March 8th, I took Peanut's pasture mate, who is a very large Belgian named Ike, up to my friend Janet's, to ride. Of course Peanut went as well. Ike is such a gentle creature and just a great all around horse. While I was there, Janet wanted to ride Ike. Well, Ike is use to just standing for most of the day and has not really had to work for the past 6 or more months. He is one of those kind of horses you can go out alone on, bath with no problems, trim his feet with out issues and just about do anything around him.
Well, Janet had a little issue with getting him to move for her. I have never laughed so hard at a person trying to get a horse to move, as I did this day. Poor Janet's legs. Ike just stood there.




Of course, Janet can be quiet the clown too! She then decided being Ike was not going to move, she would put forth the action as if he was moving at over a 100 miles per hour, then she puts the brakes on and as one can see from this next video, it was all laughter from there on out.

I often aske myself, "How does one obtain three wonderful horses, and several wonderful friend?"

Jolly Ball Fun

Ok, so we all know winter has been too long, and bordom sets in pretty easily. Peanut has been pretty bored and it shows when you look at my wooden fence, fence posts, and barn gates. He has been a busy little beaver. He is just keeping me busy, by helping me add things to Ron's Honeydo list. So to help break that bordom, I bought Peanut a Jolly Ball. It is made for horses to play with. I only had wished I had had my camera phone on, when I first gave it to him. He grabbed and was tossing it around like a kid would do. Once he tossed, and then went and got it. Tossed again and went and got it again. I walked out into the pasture and took it from him. I tossed it, he went and got it. I had some horse cookies in my pocket, so as a treat, I would give him one everytime he went and got the ball. Well, needless to say, He started to bring the ball back to me, and then he would get his cookie. Talk about a smart horse. I later went out and grabbed some short videos of him and the others in the pasture. He loves his hot pink Jollyball.

I have also noticed with Peanut, he trys to share his toys. From the paper box with Rustin to sharing his jollyball with Leaper.